Dr. Fan-Wei Liu currently serves as an assistant professor in the Graduate Program in Semiconductor and Green Technology, Academy of Circular Economy, National Chung Hsing University, Taiwan. He obtained his PhD in materials science and engineering from National Tsing Hua University, Taiwan. His research interests mainly focus on resourcezation of e-wastes, recycling and recovery of critical materials, thin-film materials and technologies, material analysis and characterization, energy materials and devices.

Sustainable Materials and Recovery Technologies Lab (SMART Lab) at Graduate Program in Semiconductor and Green Technology, Academy of Circular Economy, National Chung Hsing University, is led by Prof. Fan-Wei Liu (劉凡瑋). The laboratory focuses on the intersection of critical-material circularity, process-oriented resource recovery, and advanced materials/film engineering, aiming to address urgent industrial needs driven by net-zero transition, supply-chain resilience, and compliant waste management. We integrate hydrometallurgical and electrochemical separations, thin-film and interfacial process integration, and multi-scale materials characterization to establish scalable “waste-to-precursor / waste-to-material” pathways. Our overarching objective is to convert heterogeneous industrial and post-consumer wastes into precursor-grade or device-grade materials and to validate their performance through application-relevant metrics, thereby accelerating technology transfer to industrial practice.

1. Research Mission and Core Competencies

The laboratory’s capabilities can be structured into three synergistic modules:

(1) Resource Recovery and Hydrometallurgy
We develop selective and scalable recovery routes for value-bearing wastes such as spent batteries, waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE), semiconductor-process sludges, and complex metal-containing residues. Our process toolkits include selective leaching, solvent extraction, ion exchange, selective precipitation/crystallization, and electrochemical recovery, with emphasis on:

high separation selectivity under realistic impurity matrices,

minimized reagent consumption and secondary emissions, and

direct production of high-purity salts/oxides suitable for downstream materials manufacturing.

(2) Thin Films, Interfaces, and Process Integration
To enable direct reuse of regenerated materials, we couple recovery processes with thin-film and interface engineering. We design process windows and interfacial control strategies to ensure that recovered precursors or regenerated materials meet functional requirements in target applications (e.g., electrodes, functional coatings, and device-grade precursor systems). The lab emphasizes process reproducibility, compatibility with existing manufacturing lines, and metrics-driven validation.

(3) Materials Characterization and Forensic-Grade Diagnostics
We establish quantitative “composition–structure–defect–performance” correlations using multi-scale characterization to support both fundamental interpretation and industrial quality control. The laboratory applies advanced analytical workflows (e.g., ICP-based trace analysis, XRD, SEM/TEM, XPS, Raman, AFM/EBSD, as applicable) to:

certify precursor-/device-grade purity and batch consistency,

identify impurity origins and transformation pathways, and

diagnose failure mechanisms relevant to process scale-up and product reliability.

2. Outcome-Oriented Deliverables and Industrial Relevance

The laboratory adopts an industry-facing, engineering-oriented approach and typically delivers measurable outcomes in the following categories:

Recovery performance: yield, selectivity, impurity rejection, separation factors

Regenerated-material quality: purity (including trace impurities), phase identity, chemical states, morphology

Process feasibility: mass balance, energy and reagent consumption, solvent/wastewater management strategies

Functional validation: device/electrochemical performance under controlled benchmarks; stability and reproducibility

Sustainability quantification: life-cycle inventory (LCI) and LCA-based environmental benefits relative to conventional production routes, when appropriate

These deliverables directly address industrial challenges such as critical-material security, waste-liability reduction, regulatory compliance, decarbonization requirements, and circular supply chain implementation.

3. Fit to NSTC IIPP: Collaboration Model and Technology Translation

The laboratory is well-aligned with the NSTC IIPP mechanism, which emphasizes problem-driven research, clear industrial value, and transferable outcomes. Our typical collaboration workflow includes:

Specification-driven co-design: translating industrial constraints (purity targets, impurity limits, cost/energy ceilings, EHS requirements) into process and characterization specifications.

Scalable unit operations: selecting mature, industry-compatible unit operations and developing scale-up logic (batch-to-continuous pathways, solvent/reagent recycling scenarios, and waste minimization).

Verification and standardization: establishing SOPs, QC criteria, and reproducibility metrics to reduce adoption risks and facilitate pilot implementation.

Through this structure, we aim to deliver TRL-elevating outcomes within the project period, including validated prototypes, standardized procedures, and data packages suitable for industrial decision-making.

4. Research Infrastructure and Talent Development (optional; adjust as needed)

The laboratory maintains core capabilities in wet-chemical processing and electrochemical evaluation, supported by shared-instrument platforms at National Chung Hsing University for advanced characterization (e.g., SEM/TEM/XPS/ICP-MS/XRD). We train students and project staff in an end-to-end workflow covering process design, quantitative characterization, data interpretation, and scale-up reasoning, emphasizing reproducibility, research integrity, and effective industry communication.

Concluding Statement

In summary, SMART Lab provides an integrated platform that connects waste-stream chemistry, selective separations, materials/film process integration, and forensic-grade characterization to enable high-value regeneration of critical materials. This capacity positions the laboratory to serve as a strong IIPP partner for industries in semiconductors, energy materials, and resource circulation, delivering scalable solutions that advance circular economy implementation and low-carbon manufacturing.